Flame hardening mechanism



May 18, 1954 P. F. RossBAcH FLAME HARDENING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 26, 1951 May 18, 1954 P. F. RossBAcH i FLAME HARDENING MECHANISM 3 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Dec. 26, 1951 INVENTOR PA UL E ROJSBACH BY i MM ff/479'@ TTORNE-Kl May 18, 1954 P. F. RossBAcH FLAME HARDENING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 26 1951 INVENTOR. PAUL F ROSSE/ICH BY ya M y/7M ATTRNEYS Patented May 18, 1954 2,678,818 FLAME HARDENING MECHANISM raul F. nossbach, cleveland,

Eaton Manufacturing Company,

Ohio, assgnor to Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation of Ohio 26, 1951, Serial No. 263,170

(Cl. 26S-4) Application December 6 Claims.

This invention relates to ame hardening and more particularly to mechanism for the name hardening of brake shoes and the like.

Broadly the invention comprehends the provision of automatically operable mechanism for moving brake shoes and the like on a turntable and upon the reaching of certain predetermined stations in the movement of the turntable a predetermined portion oi the shoe is consecutively automatically heated and quenched.

Among the objects of the invention are the provision of a mechanism for name hardening brake shoes and the like, that;

1. Provides for the automatic heating and quenching of the articles to be flame hardened;

2. Provides for an accurate controlled flame hardening of the articles; and

3. Effects economy in the production of the articles through the saving of time and materials.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings forming a part of the specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top elevation view of the mechaz.

nism for automatically flame hardening brake shoes;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation partly broken away view of the flame hardening mechanism of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 3--3 of Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a projected view illustrating schematically the cam action controlled movement of the brake shoes through the steps in the heating and quenching thereof; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along lines 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

This invention is predicated upon the provision of mechanism for automatically flame hardening brake shoes whereby the prescribed portion of the brake shoe to be hardened can be easily, accurately and quickly done through the elimination of human factors previously present in carrying out this work.

In so making the mechanism automatic it is only necessary for the operator thereof to load upon and unload the brake shoes from the mechanism.

The mechanism includes basically a turntable upon which the brake shoes are to be supported during the course of work being performed thereon, heating apparatus for the localized heating of a portion of the brake shoe. a water containing quench tank into which the heated portion of the brake shoe is immersed, and a cam track over which a part of the brake shoe supporting means rides for controlling the position of the portion of the brake shoe being flame hardened.

Referring to the drawings for more specific details of the invention l0 represents generally a mechanism for the automatic and controlled lia-me hardening of the cam portion of brake shoes.

The mechanism l0 comprises basically a turntable I2, a heating unit I4, a quench tank I3 and an arcuate cam track I8.

Turntable l2 includes a pivot post 20 suitably journalled on a stationary base 22 for the free rotation of the turntable. A plurality of rollers 25 adjustably supported on the base 22 engage the underside of the turntable at circumferentially spaced points about midway between the axis and external periphery of the turntable for the purpose of supporting the turntable for the free rotation thereof.

The turntable has a plurality of equi-circumferentially spaced openings 26 in its surface located near the external periphery thereof within which are suitably secured bushings 28, each of which has an axial slot 33 extending throughout the length thereof. A c lindrical member 32 is reciprocably mounted in each of the bushings extending axially beyond the top and undersides of the turntable and is restrained from rotation relative to the bushing by way of a key 34 secured in the member 32 being received in fitted relation in the slot 30 in the bushing.

The cylindrical members 32 each support a roller 36 at one axial extremity and have threadingly adjustably secured in the other axial extremity a brake shoe supporting fixture 38, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

An enlarged shoulder 39 integral with member 32 is adapted as seen in Fig. 3 to engage the upper extremity of bushing 23 and thus limit the extent to which the member 32 moves vertically downward.

By way of the limit of downward vertical movement of the member 32 the cam track extends arcuately solely the extent of dotted lines 181 of Fig. l since no vertical movement of the members 32 is required outside of the heating and quenching zones.

A plurality of equi-circumferentially spaced supporting members 40 equal in number and spaced correspondingly to the bushings 28 and members 32 are nxedly secured upon the topside of the turntable and include a pin 42 integral therewith extending para-llel to the plane surface of the turntable.

The brake shoes 44 adapted to have their cam portions 46 flame har 42 therein and the web 5d of each shoe is nestled xture 38.

Rollers 36 on the cam surface 52 of stationary cam track I3 supported upon base 22 whereby-duetothe 'pre-` determined coniiguration of the cam surface 52l the cylindrical members 32 are axially moved to..

not shown, reciprocable in an air operated cylinY der-V60. The Vcylinder GQ is pivote-d one end 62 Whereas the free end of the rod t is pivotally securedto a lever 64 pivoted about the post 25, for' guiding the movement of the end of rod 53 and-pivot point of pawl 56 to an arcuate path relative to the ratchet axis. A coil spring 66 wrapped around the pivot of pau-'l 56 constantly urgesit intoengagement with the peripheral surface of the ratchet. An adjustable stop 68 in the form of a bolt threadingly secured in a support bracket lil mounted to theV base engages the free end of rod 58 to limit the outward axial movement thereof in one direction.

Aspring tension adjustable wrap around brake 'l2-engages a-peripheral surface of a ring memf ber .'4 secured to post 26 of the turntable and serves to prevent overrunning of the indexing operation between the ratchet and pawl.

The heating unit I4 includes a torch 76, mounted upon a reciprocable supporting member i8, to which are connected appropriate oxygen, acetylene, and air conductors for supplying the required gas-to be burned in the torch. The torch head 3d .is so positioned as `to provide' for a vertical upward flame 82 adapted to bear as shown by Fig. 2 upon the cam portion 46. of each shoev as the shoes are moved to thisstation in the name hardeningl thereof.

Supporting member 'i8 for the torch isY reciprocable on a stationary frame 84 and lisbiased in one axial direction by means of a coil `spring- 86 interposed between a part of the member 'I6 and. frame 84. A roller 88 supported at one end ofthe supporting member is engaged by a rotatable cam 96 iixedly secured to the output shaft of an adjustable speed reducer 9|, which reducer is driven from a motor 92. Thespeed reducer permits of the changing of the number` of. reciprocations per minute of the torch. Whereas the cam 96 in engagement with the roller 88 operates to move the supporting member in one axial .direction the spring 86.moves itin the reverse axial direction.

. The, quench tank as in form and extends a predetermined distance along the external periphery of the turntable such that as the cam portion 46 of each .shoe is guided vertically by the cam surface 52 reciproeating members S2 and moving .the shoes Vpivotalthe legs of a U-shaped portion 5| of the cylindrical members engagev to be engaged noted in Fig. 1 isarcuate.

the cam portions after being heated are immersed into water 94 carried by the tank and maintained therein as the turntable is rotated for a predetermined distance of movement thereof. Water is supplied to the tank in a continual agitated flow by way of perforated tube 96 mounted in the bottom of the tank whereas anoverow pipe` 98 draws foi the water as it reaches a certain predetermined level in the tank.

It is to be noted in viewing Figs. 1 and 2 that the brakeshoe. is so mounted on the turntable with its cam portion extending beyond the external periphery of the turntable whereby as the turntable is indexed by means of the pawl and ratchet mechanism the cam portion is brought torestdirectly above .the flame of the torch.

Fig. 4 diagrammatically shows the vertical movement oi the cam 46 portion of the brake shoe 4t as it is moved by action of the cam suriaceA 52 of the camtrack,

ly about pin 42,

mounted on the supporting fixture 38 with the.. webs 50 thereof nestled in the U-shaped portion` The brake shoes as supported onr the turntable are vmoved one by one to heating station B of the turntable through as automatically controlled by timing not shown, acting to move the rod SSfandfpawl 56 attached thereto effective upon of the paWl with the. teeth of the move it a distance representing ration of the ratchet teeth.

brake l2 operates to maintain the turntable so that a proper is always maintained. Stop G8 servesto limit ratchet to At this time the the axial extent of outward movement of the rodv movement of the.; Once the brake.

58 so that a proper arcuate turntable is always assured. shoe is moved to shoe is heated the turntable is once again indexed and the heated portion of the cam .is im-.y mersed in the water in the quench tank.Vv Thefurther indexing of the turntable moves each succeeding brake shoe and then into the quench tank whereas the shoes previously moved from the heating tor quench operation are carried 'alongy through approximately the full length of the quench tank from.

whence they are removed therefrom and delivered to removable station C of the turntableV The time cycle of rotation of the turntable is: adapted to be controlled by an electric timer, not shown, so that the proper desired period of heat-- ing and quenching of the portion to be name hardened is obtained. Furthermore for the purpose of obtaining an effective flame from the torch the oxygen, acetylene and air supplied thereto is pressure regulated.

Although this hardening mechanismis` disclosed specifically in connectionv with the name hardening cream thereof at station, A.

the action of air cylinder. 60-

apparatus...

engagement the angular. sepaa slight load on., indexing thereof of the brake shoe..

rst to the heating station.

portions of brake shoes it will. Vbe obvious to those skilled in the art that it can' be readily suited to other articles requiring like treatment. Accordingly this invention is to be limited as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A flame hardening mechanism comprising a horizontally positioned turntable, a plurality of article supporting means mounted in equi-cireuniierentialiy spaced relation on the turntable, each including a stationary part and reciprocable part with the stationary part secured to the top of the turntable closer to the axis of the turntable than the reciprocable part in radial alignment therewith and said reciprocable `part extending vertically beyond the top and bottom sides of the turntable, a circular cam track engageable with one axial extremity of the reciprocable part of each supporting means, a torch adapted to have its flame projected at a point outside of the external periphery of the turntable for impingement upon a lportion of the articles adapted to be supported on the supporting means, and a circular quench tank, arranged in close proximity with the external periphery of the turntable with one end closely adjacent the flame end o the torch, into which the heated portions of the articles hardened are moved.

2. A mechanism according to claim l wherein the article to be flame hardened is a brake shoe with its anchor end pivotally attached to the stationary part ci" the supporting means and the web of the shoe received in the reciprocable part with the cam portion of the shoe extending beyond the external periphery of the turntable an amount to coincide with the position of the torch flame and a Zone passing arcuately inside the tank, wherein turntable indexing and rotating means are provided for moving each of said supporting means to a position wherein a radial line passing therethrough from the axis of the turntable intersects the flame o the torch, and wherein said cam track has a curved con'guration providing for the vertical downward movement of the reciprocable part of the supporting means immediately after the supporting means is moved from aligned position with the torch flame so as to account for the injection of the heated end of the cam portion of the shoe in the tank.

3. A mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the turntable is rotated by indexing means for positioning the portion of each article as supported on the supporting means adjacent the flame of the torch.

4. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the cam track has a curved configuration providing for the movement of the reciprocable part of the article supporting means vertically downward at the entrance end of the tank adjacent the torch for supporting the reciprocable part at a `fixed height for a greater portion or movement thereof angularly with the turntable for the length of the tank and for moving the reciprocable part Vertically upward as the exit end oi the tank is approached.

5. A mechanism according to claim l, wherein the torch is reciprocated a short distance tangentially of the turntable, wherein power actuated pawl and ratchet means rotate and index the turntable and resiliently loaded friction means resist turntable rotation and wherein Ipower actuated cam means reciprocate the torch.

6. A flame hardening mechanism comprising a turntable, a plurality of article supporting means mounted in spaced relation on the turntable each including a stationary part and a reciprocable part with the stationary part secured to the turntable closer to the axis oi the turntable than the reciprocable part in radial alignment therewith, a cam track engageable with one portion of the reciprocable part of each supporting means, heating apparatus arranged at a point outside of and adjacent to the external periphery of the turntable for heating a portion of the articles supported on the supporting means and a quench tank arranged in close proximity with the external periphery of the turntable with one end closely adjacent the heating apparatus, said articles to be iiame hardcned adapted to be associated with each supporting means with one end pivotally anchored to the stationary part of the supporting means and with the opposite end extending beyond the external periphery of the turntable for movement into heating engagement with the heating apparatus and subsequently after the heating operation into the quench tank, said reciprocable part of each supporting means being engageable with one oi the articles to be flame hardened intermediate the opposite ends of the article thereby providing ior the pivotal action of the articles about their pivoted end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,525,192 McFarland Feb. 3, 1925 1,571,329 Gilman Feb. 2, 1926 t1,592,659 Gilman July 13, 1926 1,711,633 Dornseif May 7, 1929 2,504,685 Hess Apr. 18, 1950 

